The present invention relates to a method and an incinerator for incinerating halogenated organic compounds such as PCB's, solvents and by-products of chemical and pharmaceutical production. More particularly, the present invention relates to such a method and incinerator in which the halogenated organic compounds possibly in combination with a heating-value boosting fuel are incinerated in the presence of oxygen or oxygen-enriched air and the combustion products of such incineration are introduced into a post-combustion zone in which a hydrogen-containing fuel is burned in the presence of oxygen at a fuel-rich stoichiometry to minimize formation of polyhalogenated furans and dioxins.
Halogenated organic compounds, for instance PCB's and etc., must be disposed of as a hazardous waste. Generally, such materials are treated by incineration in an incinerator. Ideally, as a result of the incineration, carbon atoms are converted to carbon dioxide, hydrogen atoms form water and halogens are combusted in hydrogen to form HCl, HBr, HF and HI.
The incineration is carried out by burning the halogenated organic compounds in the presence of a surplus of oxygen. If the incineration is carried out under oxygen-lean conditions, there exists the danger that some of the halogenated organic compounds will be, at best, only partially oxidized. These partially oxidized chlorocarbons are generally very toxic. On the other hand, the usual oversupply of oxygen can cause the halogenated compounds to form halogenated furans and dioxins in trace concentrations. However, even trace mounts of these compounds, such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin are undesirable because they represent some of the most potent known carcinogens.
As will be discussed, the present invention provides a method and an incinerator by which halogenated organic compounds are incinerated such that the formation of polyhalogenated furans and dioxins is minimized.